Cottage Bacon

Cottage Bacon

Cottage Bacon

There’s no question about it: bacon is king. But have you ever had cottage bacon? The bacon you are used to eating is made from cured pork belly. Cottage bacon is made from cured pork shoulder. The results are even better then I expected. It has the flavor of belly bacon. It cooks up the same way. What makes cottage bacon even better in my opinion, is how meaty it is. It has a larger meat to fat ratio. I love my belly bacon, but I’m starting to think that cottage bacon is the way to go.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Curing Time7 days
Course: Breakfast
Keyword: electric smoker, Pork
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • Electric Smoker
  • Probe Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lbs boneless pork shoulder

Dry Rub Cure

  • 3 tbsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp pink curing salts

Wood Chips

  • 1/2 hickory wood chips
  • 1/2 applewood chips

Instructions

  • Mix together the dry rub ingredients.
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  • Cover the pork shoulder with all of the dry rub.
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  • Place the pork shoulder In a gallon sized storage bag. Place in the refrigerator for 1 week. Flip everyday so the pork marinates in it’s juices.
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  • After 1 week, take out of the storage bag. Place on a rack and put back in the refrigerator for 1 day to help dry out the pork to develop a pellicle. When ready to smoke, let the pork shoulder rest at room temp for an hour.
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  • Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Throw the pork shoulder in the smoker. Once the woodchips are smoking, turn the smoker down to 200 degrees. Repeat this step every time you change out the wood chips.
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  • At the 3 hour mark, take the temp of the pork shoulder. Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.
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  • Let the pork rest until completely cooled. Place in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing.
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  • Slice to the thickness of your liking.
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  • To cook, preheat a skillet or a griddle over medium high heat. Place slices on the pan.
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  • Cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping the pieces every 2 minutes.
    Smokers, pork
Smokers, pork